Arizona 150
Phoenix International Raceway, 3 Nov 1973
Results | Laps | Time/Speed | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gordon Johncock | Eagle 73 [7303] - Offy 159 ci turbo #20 STP Oil Filter [Patrick Racing] (see note 1) |
150 | 1h 18m 15.030s |
|||||
2 | Wally Dallenbach | Eagle 72 [7219] - Offy 159 ci turbo #40 STP Oil Treatment [Patrick Racing] (see note 2) |
150 | Finished | |||||
3 | Billy Vukovich | Eagle 72 [7204?] - Offy 159 ci turbo #2 Sugaripe Prune [Jerry O'Connell/Jud Phillips] (see note 3) |
150 | Finished | |||||
4 | Roger McCluskey | McLaren M16B [2] - Offy 159 ci turbo #3 Hopkins Buick [Lindsey Hopkins] (see note 4) |
150 | Finished | |||||
5 | Lee Kunzman | Eagle 73 [7305] - Offy 159 ci turbo #55 Cobre Firestone [Robert L. 'Bob' Fletcher] (see note 5) |
149 | Flagged | |||||
6 | Gary Bettenhausen | Eagle 72 [7225] - Offy 159 ci turbo #5 Sunoco DX [Roger Penske] (see note 6) |
149 | Flagged | |||||
7 | Mario Andretti | Parnelli VPJ-2 [102?] - Offy 159 ci turbo #11 Viceroy [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing] |
148 | Flagged | |||||
8 | Dick Simon | Eagle 73 [7306] - Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #60 STP Oil Treatment [Patrick Racing] (see note 7) |
148 | Flagged | |||||
9 | Jimmy Caruthers | Eagle 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo #21 Cobre Firestone [Robert L. 'Bob' Fletcher] (see note 8) |
146 | Flagged | |||||
10 | Bentley Warren | Finley 73 - Offy 159 ci turbo #94 Two Jacks Flyer [Vatis] (see note 9) |
143 | Flagged | |||||
11 | Lloyd Ruby | Eagle 72 [7228] - Offy 159 ci turbo #18 Commander Motor Homes [Mike Slater] (see note 10) |
140 | Flagged | |||||
12 | George Snider | Coyote 73 ['73-2'?] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #14 Gilmore Racing [Foyt Enterprises] (see note 11) |
139 | Lost brakes | |||||
13 | Bob Harkey | Vollstedt 66 [8] - Offy 159 ci turbo #43 Fiore Racing [Frank J. Fiore] (see note 12) |
135 | Flagged | |||||
14 | Tom Sneva | Kingfish 72 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo #58 Midwest Mfg Dura-Pot [Carl Gehlhausen/Jim Masson] (see note 13) |
130 | Flagged | |||||
15 | Joe Leonard | Parnelli VPJ-2 - Offy 159 ci turbo #1 Samsonite [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing] |
125 | Broken piston | |||||
16 | Jim McElreath | Eagle 72 [7226] - Offy 159 ci turbo #34 Norris Industries [Champ Carr Ent.] (see note 14) |
99 | Ignition failure | |||||
17 | Lee Brayton | Eagle 72 [7217] - Offy 159 ci turbo #61 Eisenhour-Brayton [Lee Brayton and John Eisenhour] (see note 15) |
92 | Blown engine | |||||
18 | Bobby Unser | Eagle 73 [7304?] - Offy 159 ci turbo #8 Olsonite [AAR] (see note 16) |
40 | Wrecked | |||||
19 | Al Unser | Parnelli VPJ-2 [101?] - Offy 159 ci turbo #4 Viceroy [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing] |
39 | Withdrew after brother's accident | |||||
20 | Mike Mosley | Eagle 72 [7218] - Offy 159 ci turbo #98 Lodestar [Agajanian/Leader Card] (see note 17) |
25 | Ignition failure | |||||
21 | Steve Krisiloff | Kingfish 73 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo #24 Tecumseh Comm Mutual Fund [Grant King Racers] (see note 18) |
13 | Broken piston | |||||
22 | Johnny Parsons Jr | Eagle 72 [7221] - Offy 159 ci turbo #97 Lodestar [Agajanian/Leader Card] (see note 19) |
10 | Cracked block | |||||
23 | Jerry Karl | Cicada 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo Cicada (see note 20) |
5 | ||||||
DNSC | Larry McCoy | Atlanta 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo Eastern Racing [Larry McCoy] (see note 21) |
Did not start (crashed) | ||||||
DNSC | Johnny Rutherford | McLaren M16C [5] - Offy 159 ci turbo #7 Gulf [McLaren Cars] (see note 22) |
Did not start (crashed) |
Qualifying | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gordon Johncock | Eagle 73 [7303] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
2 | Bobby Unser | Eagle 73 [7304?] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
3 | Wally Dallenbach | Eagle 72 [7219] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
4 | Gary Bettenhausen | Eagle 72 [7225] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
5 | Dick Simon | Eagle 73 [7306] - Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 | |||
6 | Lloyd Ruby | Eagle 72 [7228] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
7 | Billy Vukovich | Eagle 72 [7204?] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
8 | Roger McCluskey | McLaren M16B [2] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
9 | Steve Krisiloff | Kingfish 73 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
10 | Jimmy Caruthers | Eagle 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
11 | Joe Leonard | Parnelli VPJ-2 - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
12 | George Snider | Coyote 73 ['73-2'?] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 | |||
13 | Lee Brayton | Eagle 72 [7217] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
14 | Lee Kunzman | Eagle 73 [7305] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
15 | Al Unser | Parnelli VPJ-2 [101?] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
16 | Mike Mosley | Eagle 72 [7218] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
17 | Mario Andretti | Parnelli VPJ-2 [102?] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
18 | Jim McElreath | Eagle 72 [7226] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
19 | Tom Sneva | Kingfish 72 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
20 | Johnny Parsons Jr | Eagle 72 [7221] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
21 | Bentley Warren | Finley 73 - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
22 | Bob Harkey | Vollstedt 66 [8] - Offy 159 ci turbo |
Notes on the cars:
- Eagle 73 [7303] (Gordon Johncock): New for Jerry Grant to race at the 1973 Indy 500 as AAR's #48 Olsonite Eagle. Grant was not entered at the Pocono 500 and the car was sold to Patrick Racing prior to that race. It was raced by Gordy Johncock for the rest of the season as his Indy-winning car was wrecked at Pocono. Raced by teammate Wally Dallenbach in the early races of 1974, then brought to the Indy 500 to replace a '74 car damaged by Johncock in practice. Raced by Johncock at Indy and at Milwaukee in June, and believed to have been his short track car for the rest of the year. Then to Lee Elkins and entered as the #83 McNamara Eagle for Bill Puterbaugh at Indy and at Pocono in 1975, qualifying for both. Retained for the 500-mile races 1976, when Puterbaugh qualified for the Indy 500 and Ontario, and also in 1977 when, now as the #16 entry, he again qualified for the Indy 500. Immediately after qualifying, the car was acquired by George Walther who wanted to put son Salt into it but after an uproar, Puterbaugh drove it in the race. Then from Walther to Bob Olmstead who fitted a Volker V12 engine for Indy 1978 but did not get the car on track. The car was stored until after Olmstead's death, and was sold to Bill Simpson in the early 1990s. It was restored as a show car for Simpson by Wayne Leary and put on display in North Carolina to represent the Eagle that Simpson had raced at Indy. Sold around 2013 to Jeff Urwin (New York, NY).
- Eagle 72 [7219] (Wally Dallenbach): New to Patrick Racing for 1973 and identified as their #60 STP entry at the 1973 Indy 500 for Graham McRae. Then became Wally Dallenbach's #40 car after the Indy 500, winning at Milwaukee and Ontario. Sold to Richard Beith (Danville, CA) for 1974 and entered as the #18 American Kids Racer car for Steve Krisiloff and Bill Simpson. Returned in 1975 for George Follmer, now as the #28, but only at Ontario and Indy. Leased from Beith by Warner Hodgdon (San Bernardino, CA) for 1976 and raced by Billy Scott at the Indy 500 before returning to Beith for three more seasons, appearing mainly at the 500-mile races at Ontario and Indianapolis. Retained by Beith until sold to Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) in October 2005. Haines advertised it in early 2006 still in Beith's American Kids livery. Bought from Haines by Aaron Lewis (Cessnock, NSW, Australia) in September 2008 and restored for him by Walter Goodwin between 2008 and 2011 to McRae's 1973 livery. Ran at the vintage demonstration at the Indy 500 in 2011 and 2012 and then on display at the Riverside International Automotive Museum. Sold at the RM Auctions sale at Monterey in August 2014 to Milton Verret (Austin, TX), but bought back by Lewis in 2018. Sold to Carlos de Quesada (Tampa, FL) at Indy in May 2019.
- Eagle 72 [7204?] (Billy Vukovich): One of two 1972 Eagles bought new by Jerry O'Connell's Sugaripe Prune team and raced by Billy Vukovich as the #3 entry in 1972, with Jud Phillips as chief mechanic. As the later history of 7207 is known from an invoice, and as the cars have distinct differences that can be seen in photographs, 7204 can be safely identified as Vukovich's 1972 Indy 500 car, after which it swapped roles with 7207 and became his short track car. It remained his short track car in 1973, and is then believed to have raced just twice in 1974. Sold to Donald Mergard and very probably the car raced by Bob Harkey as Mergard Racing's #42 entry at Michigan late that season. Retained by Mergard for another six seasons, racing as the #42 with numerous drivers and sponsors. In 1981, this car appears to have become Tom Frantz' #71 entry for Bob Frey. Subsequent history unknown.
- McLaren M16B [2] (Roger McCluskey): McLaren Cars 1972 for Peter Revson (#12), and raced at the Indy 500, Pocono and Ontario. Also raced by Gordie Johncock at Trenton in September after his usual M16B/3 had been wrecked at Ontario. To Lindsey Hopkins for Roger McCluskey to race in 1973 as the #3 Hopkins Buick entry, but McCluskey raced his older M16A at the Indy 500 and at Pocono, before settling on the M16B at the end of the season. The two cars took McCluskey to the USAC National Championship. The M16B was retained for 1974 and 1975 as a backup to Hopkins' new Riley-built 'English Leather' car. The McLaren was used at Trenton in 1975, and then entered for Graham McRae at the 1975 Indy 500, but he could not qualify. Sold to Carl Gehlhausen for Spike Gehlhausen to drive in 1976 (#19 Spirit of Indiana) and 1977 (#19 PV Corp) but crashed at Ontario, Indy and Pocono in 1977 with serious damage each time. Replaced with an Eagle in mid-1977. Acquired from Gehlhausen by Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) some time in the 1980s, and restored by Gehlhausen's chief mechanic Eddie Baue and Walter Goodwin. USAC's history of this car identified it as the #86 "ex-Revson" McLaren (actually Hopkins' other M16) and it was restored to this specification and then sold to Gene Wagner (Atlanta, GA), who used it in US vintage racing between 1988 and 1990.
- Eagle 73 [7305] (Lee Kunzman): Bob Fletcher team had owned a pair of 1972 Eagles but after Art Pollard's fatal accident at Indy in 1973, Fletcher acquired a new 1973 car which was entered as the #55 Cobre Firestone entry for Lee Kunzman from Ontario in August onwards. Used for the rest of 1973 but then crashed heavily in testing at Ontario in December when Kunzman hit the wall and needed to be taken to hospital. The 1973 Eagle was not seen in Fletcher stable after this and is presumed to have been destroyed.
- Eagle 72 [7225] (Gary Bettenhausen): To Roger Penske for Mark Donohue to drive as the #66 Sunoco DX car at the three 500 mile races in 1973. It was then driven by Gary Bettenhausen as the #5 Sunoco DX car in place of his usual McLaren M16C at Phoenix in November 1973 and again at Phoenix in March 1974. For 1976, the car was sold to Bill Simpson and raced as his #38 Nikon car until September that year when it was sold to Arthur E. 'Art' Sugai (Ontario, OR) and became the #90 Eastside Café car for Rick Mears. Raced by Mears, Steve Krisiloff and Bubby Jones in 1977. Sold to collector/dealer Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) in May 1980 and retained by him until purchased by Rick and Alison Dresang (Hartford, WI) in August 2004. Fully restored, and maintained by Kettle Moraine Preservation & Restoration.
- Eagle 73 [7306] (Dick Simon): Patrick Racing acquired a new 1973 Eagle after the 1973 Indy 500, probably either chassis 7305 or 7306. It was fitted with a Ford V8 engine and used in practice at Ontario by Graham McRae as the #60 entry, but failed to qualify. Raced by Dick Simon at two later races that season. It may have been Steve Krisiloff's intended #60 Patrick entry at Indy in 1974, identified by Hungness as an Eagle "of 1973 vintage", but the car Krisiloff actually qualified was an older 1972 car. The 1973 car finally reappeared when raced by Krisiloff at Pocono and a few races later in the 1974 season, by which time it had a turbo Offy engine. Sold by Patrick Racing's chief crew George Bignotti to Fred Carrillo (San Juan Capistrano, CA) and entered as the #73 Spirit of Orange County entry for Jerry Grant at Ontario at the start of 1975. Later in 1975, the car was fitted with a 209 ci AMC stock block V8 engine developed for Carrillo by Dick Jones, and was driven by Grant in late 1975 and early 1976, now with Dave Klym as chief mechanic. Carrillo then acquired a newer Eagle chassis for the AMC engine and the 1973 Eagle was rebuilt in 1977 to Offy specification and sold to Jim McElreath for son James to drive as the #26 McElreath Racing entry in 1977. Then for Jim McElreath in 1978. In 1979, McElreath acquired a second Eagle, apparently the ex-O'Connell 1974 car, which was numbered as the #23 with the older car continuing as #26. The older car continued in use until 1981. In 2017, it was reported that this was chassis 7306, and had remained at Jim McElreath's home in Texas from 1983 until his death in 2017. It was then owned by Angus Russell (Ormond Beach, FL).
- Eagle 72 (Jimmy Caruthers): One of two 1972 Eagles bought by Robert L. 'Bob' Fletcher and chief crew Clint Brawner for Fletcher's new Cobre Firestone team in 1973. This car arrived in time for the race at Texas World Speedway at the start of April so is likely to be chassis 7214. Entered at TWS as the #21 entry for Jimmy Caruthers, and it is assumed that this was the same #21 entered for him at Trenton and at the Indy 500. After Art Pollard's accident in the sister car, this was Fletcher's only remaining 1972 car and it was driven by Caruthers for the rest of 1973, then by Duane "Pancho" Carter at the Indy 500 in 1974. It is likely to be the car raced by Carter later in the season but he might have been allocated one of the team's 1974 Eagles. The car was renumbered #55 for 1975 and entered for Lee Kunzman at Ontario, where he finished third in his heat and fourth in the final. Entered also at the Indy 500 but Kunzman did not qualify. The car was not needed again but remained with the team as a show car. It was photographed in Frosty Acres livery, which cannot be earlier than 1979. Subsequent history unknown.
- Finley 73 (Bentley Warren): New for Johnny Parsons Jr at the 1973 Indy 500 as the Tassis Vatis's #94 Two Jacks Flyer entry. The car blew too many engines and no attempt was made to qualify. Raced by Parsons, John Hubbard and Bentley Warren later in 1973, always wearing #94. Retained for 1974 and driven by Warren, Parsons and Hubbard during the season, Parsons qualifying it for the Indy 500 as the Vatis Special. Retained again for 1975 and raced by Parsons in the early part of the season, then qualified by Mike Hiss for the Indy 500 as the Vatis Enterprises #94 Ayr-Way/WNAP car. Vatis acquired a 1972/73 Eagle in time for the 1975 Indy 500, and acquired a second one for 1976, so the "Fleagle" was not seen again. The car is believed to have been at McIntire Chevrolet for some years, but its movements are then unknown until Mike Guffey (Hartford City, Indiana) bought it from a car dealership and eventually sold it to Rich Morrison (Salina, KS). Morrison sold it to Toney Edwards (Greenwood, Indiana) in 2013. It was restored by Peter Jamie to its 1975 livery.
- Eagle 72 [7228] (Lloyd Ruby): Supplied as a monocoque to Lloyd Ruby and his chief crew Mike Devin after Ruby had crashed chassis 7224 at Ontario. Chassis 7228 was built up using the components of 7224 and raced as Ruby's #18 Commander Motor Homes for the rest of the season. Retained in 1974 as a backup car to Ruby's new 1974 Eagle, but actually raced more often than the '74 that season. Sold to Anastassios "Tassi" Vatis, a Greek shipping tycoon and veteran Indy car owner, and run by Vatis's faithful chief mechanic Bill Finley for Johnny Parsons Jr in 1975. In 1976, the team had a "new" car built on an "unused" chassis, presumably 7224 as it still carries the 7224 plate today. However, 7228 remained the main car, Parsons' #93 Ayr-Way/Vatis entry in 1976 and 1977. In 1978, 7228 was modified with straight sidepods and radiators repositioned to the rear of the tub, matching the specification of 7224, after which they are hard to tell apart. John Mahler (Bettendorf, Iowa) bought the Vatis team in November 1978 with the support of longtime backer Richard Deutsch, and it is believed that 7228 was the #92 car that Mahler had bumped after qualifying. Retained as a backup in 1980 and 1981, then sold to Rick DeLorto (Wood Dale, IL) who attempted to qualify for several CART races in 1982. Then to John Griffith (Chicago, IL) 1983, then Steve Burgner (Chicago, IL) 1984, after which it was sold to Mountain View Motorsport Park in Colorado. It then passed to a dealer in Connecticut, from which Eric Camiel (Danbury, CT) bought it in 1991. Then unknown until acquired from Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) by John Mueller (Fresno, CA) in late 2005. Chuck is believed to have got it from Lilo Zicron (Burbank, CA). Extensively rebuilt by Mueller to standard specification. Sold to Rick and Alison Dresang (Hartford, WI) in May 2016.
- Coyote 73 ['73-2'?] (George Snider): New for AJ Foyt at at the 1973 Indy 500 as Foyt Enterprises' #14 Gilmore Racing entry. Photographs show that it was also raced by Foyt as the #14 at Pocono, Michigan in July, Ontario, Michigan again in September, and Trenton in September. It is likely to be the car raced by Foyt at Texas World Speedway in October and by George Snider at Phoenix in November, but this remains unconfirmed. The side-radiator 1973 Coyotes were not seen again after 1973 and were presumably rebuilt into the team's front-radiator 1974 cars.
- Vollstedt 66 [8] (Bob Harkey): Built for 1966 and raced by Billy Foster as the #27 Jim Robbins entry. Retained for 1967 and intended to be raced by Lucien Bianchi in 1967 but borrowed by Mario Andretti for the opening race of the 1967 season, only to crash it in practice. Bianchi was later bumped at the Indy 500. Raced by Jim Malloy for the rest of 1967 and for occasional races in 1968 and 1969. To Frank J Fiore's Fiore Racing Enterprises for 1970 and raced as the #43 by Bob DeJong and then in 1971 by Denny Zimmerman. Later entered by Fiore as the #43 again for Al Loquasto in 1972, Jerry Karl and Bob Harkey in 1973, and Karl Busson in 1974. Later sold by Fiore and the car passed through several collectors until purchased by the Fiore family in 2001. Fiore died in 2007 but his son Frank Fiore Jr (Dallastown, PA) continued with the car's long-term restoration. The car appeared in public for the first time in 45 years at the Vintage Celebration at Pocono Raceway in August 2017.
- Kingfish 72 ['2'] (Tom Sneva): The second new 1972 Grant King car appeared for the first time at the Indy 500 as the #15 car for Steve Krisiloff. As the other 1972 car was destroyed in Merle Bettenhausen's accident at the 1972 Michigan 200, it would be reasonable to assume this is the 1972 Kingfish acquired by Carl Gehlhausen's Mid-West Manufacturing Dura-pot team. A Racing Pictorial photograph shows that it first appeared as the team's #58 entry at Phoenix in November 1972, but driver Larry Dickson did not start. It was raced as the #58 by Dickson at the start of 1973, and was driven by Johnny Parsons Jr, Arnie Knepper, Tom Bigelow and Tom Sneva later that season. The Gehlhausen team only made a couple of appearances with the Kingfish in 1974, but made a more concerted effort in 1975, with the Kingfish now as the #38 entry, raced initially by Jerry Karl, and then by Al Loquasto, Jerry Sneva and Mike Hiss (who crashed it) in practice for the Indy 500. Spike Gehlhausen, Carl's son, was then given his first chance in the car after the 500 and kept the drive to the end of the season. The Gehlhausens then acquired a McLaren M16 as the #19 Spirit of Indiana entry, and the Kingfish acted as backup until an Eagle was acquired in mid-1977. Subsequent history unknown but at some point the car was repainted with Sta-On Glaze livery, Gehlhausen's 1979 sponsor. By 2008, it was part of a collection of unrestored Indy cars owned by Walter Medlin.
- Eagle 72 [7226] (Jim McElreath): According to AAR records, this car was originally sold to Doug Champlin & Fred Carrillo of Champ Carr, Inc. This is believed to be the team's #34 car for Sam Posey but he was bumped. The team then tried to disguise the #34 car as the team's backup #31 entry to allow Posey another try at qualifying, but the deception was spotted by IMS technical supervisor Frank DelRoy and both the #34 and #31 entries were disqualified. Photographs indicate this car was then used as a short track car for Jim McElreath in 1973. Carrillo retained the car during 1974, but it was not seen. In early 1975, it was repainted as Carrillo's "Spirit of Orange Country" entry, but finance could not be found, and it was sold to Alex Morales, who entered it as the #78 Alex Foods car for Jimmy Caruthers. Assumed to be the #78 car for the rest of 1975 and then the #78 Alex Foods second team car for Bobby Olivero in 1976. The team acquired a pair of new Lightnings for 1977 and the Eagle was not seen again. Unknown after November 1976. Nothing more is known until it was sold by Barry Green via Walter Goodwin to Kenneth Hodge (Ocala, FL) in 2004 to be fitted with a complete spare drive train that Ken had acquired from Smokey Yunick's 1973 Chevrolet turbo engine project.
- Eagle 72 [7217] (Lee Brayton): New to Patrick Racing and raced by Gordy Johncock in 1973 as the #25 Patrick Racing entry early in 1973 and then became the #20 STP Double Oil Filter Special at the Indy 500 when Patrick Racing picked up STP sponsorship. Johncock won the Indy 500 in this car but it was wrecked at Pocono in July when a wheel came off and then damaged again at Milwaukee in August in an incident with Johnny Rutherford while Johncock was leading the race. The Eagle was repaired, sold to Lee Brayton and John Eisenhour, and raced by Brayton at Michigan in September 1973 as the #61 Eisenhour-Brayton car, replacing the team's 1972 Coyote. Retained for 1974 when it was Brayton's #28 car, also driven by Mike Hiss at Ontario. Wrecked by Brayton at Indianapolis during practice on 7 May when Tom Bigelow spun in front of him, and extensively damaged, the Daily Reports noting that the Eagle was "apparently a complete loss". Brayton had to return to the old Coyote for Pocono and it is not clear whether he raced the Coyote again at Michigan later in the year or whether the Eagle had been repaired. Retained by Lee Brayton and undergoing restoration at Walter Goodwin's workshop in May 2010. In June 2010, it appears that this car was placed in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, replacing the mueum's replica of Johncock's 1973 Indy 500 winner. Sold to Bruce McCaw around 2012.
- Eagle 73 [7304?] (Bobby Unser): New for Bobby Unser at the 1973 Indy 500, as AAR's #8 Olsonite entry. Unser qualified second but retired at mid-distance. He then drove the same car at Milwaukee in June, winning from pole position. The car Jerry Grant had raced at the Indy 500 was sold to Patrick Racing, leaving Unser with 7302 and the new 7304. Exactly how these cars were used in 1973 is still being resolved but, for now, it is assumed that 7302 was the car he heavily damaged at Milwaukee in August, leaving him with just chassis 7304 to the end of the season. In the final race, at Phoenix in November, Unser destroyed his car in a massive accident. Autosport reported that this car was repaired and sold to the VPJ team, but photogarphs show that VPJ had new 1974 cars from the start of the season, so it seems likely that 7304 ended its life at Phoenix.
- Eagle 72 [7218] (Mike Mosley): New to Leader Card Racers in time for the 1973 Indy 500 where it was Mike Mosley's #98 Leader Card entry. Raced by Mosley at Pocono and at Ontario, and then at the late-season races. Presumably his car at Ontario in March 1974, after which he used a new 1974 Eagle, and this 1972 Eagle was not seen again in 1974. After the 1974 car was wrecked, this car reappeared for Steve Krisiloff at Ontario in March 1975 as the #98 entry, then for George Snider as the #97 at three more races. Taken to the 1976 Indy 500 as a backup and qualified by Tom Bigelow, and may have been used by Bigelow at some short track races that year as the #24 entry. Although Leader Card now had two 1974 Eagles, this old 1972 car was present at the Indy 500 again in 1977 as the #23 entry but was crashed heavily in practice on 16 May by Gary Irwin and "damaged extensively". Repaired and then acquired by Warner Hodgdon, who had sponsored Mike Hiss in Leader Card's '74 car in 1976. Retained by Hodgdon until his death in 2013, and acquired from the estate by Jeff Urwin (New York, NY). The car was inspected at GE Autosport's shop at Indianapolis in November 2014 by Jacques Dresang, who found traces of Leader Card livery and USAC stickers that tied it to Gary Irwin's 1977 Indy 500 entry.
- Kingfish 73 ['2'] (Steve Krisiloff): Built by Grant King for the 1973 season and appeared at the Indy 500 that year as the #75 entry for Greg Weld. Weld did not qualify but this car remained red and is therefore the car raced by Steve Krisiloff as the #24 entry on short tracks in 1973. In 1974, this second Kingfish was numbered #26 but only raced twice with that identity, at the Indy 500 with Bentley Warren and at Pocono in the hands of Bob Harkey. It also raced at some other tracks as the #24 but can be distinguished by its unmodified roll hoop. In 1975, the car was raced again at the Indy 500 by Sheldon Kinser, now as the #19 entry. King joined forces with JC Agajanian for 1976 and both 1973 Kingfish were used in the early races, this one as the #98 car for John Martin and later as the #96 for Bob Harkey. The cars reappeared in 1979, fitted with Chevrolet V8 engines and this car took sixth place at Milwaukee driven by Gary Bettenhausen. Its long race career was finally terminated by an accident in practice at Watkins Glen when driven by Tony Bettenhausen II. The car was advertised by racecars.com in 2009. In 2010, it was reported to be in southern California.
- Eagle 72 [7221] (Johnny Parsons Jr): New to Leader Card Racers in time for the TWS race at the start of 1973. Raced by Mike Mosley as the #98 Leader Card entry. Then taken to the Indy 500 as a backup, renumbered #97, and qualified by Rick Muther. It was then Mosley's short track car, and raced by Muther at Pocono and by Johnny Parsons Jr at Ontario and at the late-season races. Presumably for Parsons again at Ontario in March 1974. Then Mosley's short track car when he wasn't using his new 1974 Eagle. Signs of repairs to the left side of this car allow it to be identified from 1975 onwards. It was raced by George Snider as the #97 at Ontario at the start of 1975, then by Steve Krisiloff in the Indy 500 as the #98 and later in the season as the #98 and then the #10. For 1976, the car was sold to Patrick Santello and was his #65 City of Syracuse or S&M Electric entry that season for Larry Dickson and Lee Kunzman. Then to Gus and Richard Hoffman (Milford, OH) of Hoffman Racing for 1977 and entered for Jerry Grant and later Joe Saldana as the #69. Driven again by Saldana in 1978 and 1979. Also appeared once for Bob Frey in 1980. Reappeared briefly in 1982 when it was entered by George T. Smith's GTS Racing as the #86 Empress Traveler for Al Loquasto. Sold by Smith to Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) who sold it to Bob Colllings (Boston, MA) in April 1985. Retained by Collings and now forms part of the auto collection in The Collings Foundation (Stow, MA).
- Cicada 72 (Jerry Karl): Built for 1972 and loaned to Leader Cards, Inc.for the 1972 Indy 500. It was listed as Mike Mosley's #87 backup car, but he focused on his #98 Eagle, and the Cicada became the #97 entry for Bruce Walkup to complete his refresher test on 18 May. The following day, Jigger Sirois also used it for his refresher test and then attempted a qualifying run in the Cicada on 21 May but the engine blew up on his first warm-up lap. The car was not seen again for over a year until raced as the #93 Cicada Racing entry for Jerry Karl at Milwaukee in 1973, finishing 11th. It reappeared in 1974 when it Bob Harkey raced it as the #93 Cicada Racing entry in the first few races of the year,. It is possible that the car was present at more races in 1973 and 1974 but was unable to qualify and unmentioned in reports. It became the #25 Adams Automotive entry for Jigger Sirois at the 1974 Indy 500 but did not qualify and was then driven by Dan Murphy for Adams Automotive later that season. Murphy had a massive accident in the Cicada during practice at Phoenix at the end of the season and the car was destroyed. A second generation Cicada was built for 1975.
- Atlanta 72 (Larry McCoy): Completed by Gene White Racing after Atlanta Cars closed, and first seen as the team's #21 Bill Daniels GOP for Cale Yarborough at the 1972 Indy 500. Yarborough was then "asked to step down", and the car was converted from Ford to Offy power for team leader Lloyd Ruby to try in practice at Pocono. It was raced by Jimmy Caruthers as the #52 Wynn's Special at Ontario in September. Almost certainly the Atlanta-Offy sold to Larry McCoy Sr's Eastern Racing for his son Larry McCoy to drive in 1973, backed by James Bidwell's Shurfine Foods. Converted by Eldon Rasmussen to Ras-Car specification for 1974, and raced by McCoy and others up to 1977. To Frank Fiore for 1978, and his #87 Machinists Union entry for Jerry Karl, Phil Threshie and Al Loquasto that season. Then to Buddie Boys, a Calgary trucking magnate, and entered for Bob Harkey at the 1980 Indy 500, but he could not get enough speed out of it. The last that was heard of the car was just before the Milwaukee race, when the engine was said to have blown up during testing.
- McLaren M16C [5] (Johnny Rutherford): New for McLaren Cars to be driven by Johnny Rutherford as the #7 Gulf entry in 1973. He used this car at the Indy 500 but may have used M16C/2 (or even M16C/4) at other races that season. Raced again by Rutherford in 1974 as the #3 car, winning the Indy 500, but he used another M16C at short track events that year. This car then became Rutherford's short-track car in 1975 and 1976. Sold to George Walther to be Salt Walther #33 backup car at Indy in 1977 but how it was used that season is unknown. Entered by Walther at the 1978 Indy 500 as the #34 for Graham McRae but he was bumped. Sold by Walther to Rick Carroll (Jensen Beach, FL) and restored. Sold by Carroll's estate in 1990 via Sotherby's Palm Springs Auction for $495,000 to Patrick S. Ryan (Montgomery, AL). Loaned by Ryan to the IMS Museum but also attended various concours events while owned by Ryan. Repainted by Paintergeek Paintworks (Indianapolis, IN) in May 2013. Sold by Ryan through RM Auctions at Monterey in August 2013 for $3,250,000 to web entrepreneur Bill Oesterle (Indianapolis, IN).
Sources
Note that the identification of individual cars in these results is based on the material presented elsewhere in this site and may in some cases contradict the organisers' published results.
The foundation for this research is the work done by the late Phil Harms collating the results of all AAA, USAC and CART races, including the period covered here. His data was refined by Michael Ferner who added more information before making it available to OldRacingCars.com. Since the start of the USAC project on OldRacingCars.com in 2004, a wealth of further information has been gleaned from the Carl Hungness and Donald Davidson Yearbooks, Formula and On Track magazines, USAC News, National Speed Sport News and other published sources. Gerry Measures has also provided much information from his files as have others on TNF and Trackforum. Since 2009, the work of Simmo Iskül and others identifying cars from period photographs has has moved this research forward significantly.
All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can help in any way with our research.